The present disclosure relates generally to infusion therapy practice and procedures. Specifically the present disclosure relates to an indwelling catheter assembly for use in artificial dialysis, fluid infusion, or blood infusion, and more particularly to an indwelling catheter assembly which provides flow control for a fluid passing through the catheter assembly.
Typically, catheter assemblies comprise a catheter adapter and a catheter wherein a lumen of the catheter adapter and a lumen of the catheter are in fluid communication. Upon insertion of the catheter into the vasculature of a patient, the blood of the patient flow freely though the catheter and into the lumen of the catheter adapter. This blood flow is termed “flashback” and is desirable to ensure proper insertion of the catheter. To prevent undesirable exposure to the blood, a clinician will typically control the blood flow through the catheter assembly by occluding the catheterized vein of the patient. Occlusion may be accomplished either by applying a constricting band or pressure cuff to the catheterized vein, or by restricting the flow through the vein by applying pressure directly to the catheterized vein with the clinician's finger or fingers.
Use of a constricting band or pressure cuff is undesirable due to the difficulty associated with monitoring flashback through the catheter assembly. For example, where a constricting band or pressure cuff is used, a clinician must first constrict the patient's vein prior to insertion of the catheter. As the catheter is inserted into the patient, the constricting band prevents flashback and therefore the clinician has no clear indicator as to the proper positioning of the catheter. Flashback is only available when the clinician releases the constricting band thereby no longer occluding the vein. If the catheter is placed incorrectly, the clinician must once again set the constricting band or pressure cuff and reattempt insertion. Aside from requiring additional equipment, the use of a constricting band or pressure cuff is time consuming and inefficient for catheterization.
Occluding the patient's vein with the clinician's finger or fingers is similarly constraining and inefficient. Following insertion of the catheter into the vein of the patient, a clinician must quickly occlude the vein by applying pressure on the catheterized vein at a location upstream from the insertion site. The clinician may control the flow of blood through the catheter assembly by releasing or applying pressure to the catheterized vein. However, the clinician must maintain contact with the patient or the blood will flow uncontrollably from the catheter assembly and create a risk of undesirable exposure. Therefore, if the clinician chooses to occlude the vein in this manner, the clinician is restricted to only one free hand with which to provide additional medical care to the patient until the catheter is further connected to an infusion system or clamped.
Following catheterization a clinician may also desire to collect a blood sample. Typically this can be accomplished by one of two methods. Firstly, the clinician may attach a vacuum tube or collection vial to the end of the catheter adapter and draw blood from the patient. In some cases, the negative pressure of the vacuum collection vial causes the patient's catheterized vein to collapse. Collapsing the patient's vein requires that the clinician locate a new vein and reinsert the catheter. Additionally, collapsing the vein may damage the vein of the patient as well as cause bruising and tenderness to the patient.
Secondly, the clinician may allow the blood to flow freely from the catheter adapter and collect the patient's blood in a collection vial. This method of collection does not expose the patient's vein to possible collapse, but does require that the clinician control the blood flow either with a constriction band or by applying pressure to the patient's vein with the clinician's finger or fingers. This method of collection is also undesirable due to the clinician's need to use both hands in collecting, labeling and storing the blood samples.
Thus, there exists a need for a catheter assembly with integrated flow control capabilities. Specifically, a need exists for a catheter assembly that allows a clinician to control blood flow through the catheter assembly without the need of occluding the patient's vein with additional equipment or the clinician's fingers.